diff --git a/include/armadillo_bits/fn_randg.hpp b/include/armadillo_bits/fn_randg.hpp
index 134a25e5..637994cd 100644
--- a/include/armadillo_bits/fn_randg.hpp
+++ b/include/armadillo_bits/fn_randg.hpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ randg(const uword n_rows, const uword n_cols, const distr_param& param = distr_p
   
   param.get_double_vals(a,b);
   
-  arma_debug_check( ((a <= double(0)) || (b <= double(0))), "randg(): incorrect distribution parameters: a and b must be greater than zero" );
+  arma_debug_check( ((a <= double(0)) || (b <= double(0))), "randg(): incorrect distribution parameters; a and b must be greater than zero" );
   
   obj_type out(n_rows, n_cols, arma_nozeros_indicator());
   
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ randg(const uword n_rows, const uword n_cols, const uword n_slices, const distr_
   
   param.get_double_vals(a,b);
   
-  arma_debug_check( ((a <= double(0)) || (b <= double(0))), "randg(): incorrect distribution parameters: a and b must be greater than zero" );
+  arma_debug_check( ((a <= double(0)) || (b <= double(0))), "randg(): incorrect distribution parameters; a and b must be greater than zero" );
   
   cube_type out(n_rows, n_cols, n_slices, arma_nozeros_indicator());
   
diff --git a/include/armadillo_bits/fn_randi.hpp b/include/armadillo_bits/fn_randi.hpp
index d731378e..5bfb9bf3 100644
--- a/include/armadillo_bits/fn_randi.hpp
+++ b/include/armadillo_bits/fn_randi.hpp
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ randi(const uword n_rows, const uword n_cols, const distr_param& param = distr_p
   
   param.get_int_vals(a,b);
   
-  arma_debug_check( (a > b), "randi(): incorrect distribution parameters: a must be less than b" );
+  arma_debug_check( (a > b), "randi(): incorrect distribution parameters; a must be less than b" );
   
   obj_type out(n_rows, n_cols, arma_nozeros_indicator());
   
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ randi(const uword n_rows, const uword n_cols, const uword n_slices, const distr_
   
   param.get_int_vals(a,b);
   
-  arma_debug_check( (a > b), "randi(): incorrect distribution parameters: a must be less than b" );
+  arma_debug_check( (a > b), "randi(): incorrect distribution parameters; a must be less than b" );
   
   cube_type out(n_rows, n_cols, n_slices, arma_nozeros_indicator());
   
diff --git a/include/armadillo_bits/fn_randu.hpp b/include/armadillo_bits/fn_randu.hpp
index d595227c..28ea8f5c 100644
--- a/include/armadillo_bits/fn_randu.hpp
+++ b/include/armadillo_bits/fn_randu.hpp
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ randu(const distr_param& param)
   
   param.get_double_vals(a,b);
   
-  arma_debug_check( (a >= b), "randu(): incorrect distribution parameters: a must be less than b" );
+  arma_debug_check( (a >= b), "randu(): incorrect distribution parameters; a must be less than b" );
   
   double val;
   
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ randu(const distr_param& param)
   
   param.get_double_vals(a,b);
   
-  arma_debug_check( (a >= b), "randu(): incorrect distribution parameters: a must be less than b" );
+  arma_debug_check( (a >= b), "randu(): incorrect distribution parameters; a must be less than b" );
   
   eT val;
   
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ randu(const uword n_elem, const distr_param& param)
   
   param.get_double_vals(a,b);
   
-  arma_debug_check( (a >= b), "randu(): incorrect distribution parameters: a must be less than b" );
+  arma_debug_check( (a >= b), "randu(): incorrect distribution parameters; a must be less than b" );
   
   vec out(n_elem, arma_nozeros_indicator());